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Neil Blumenfield is an American poker player from San Francisco, California, who became one of the most famous “senior” players in the world after an incredible run in 2015. A retired software executive, Blumenfield proved that age is just a number in the high-stakes world of modern poker. He is best known for his sharp mind and his signature fedora, becoming a fan favorite for his ability to compete with players less than half his age on the game’s biggest stage.
Career Earnings & Biggest Results
According to The Hendon Mob, Neil Blumenfield has won over $3.9 million in live tournament earnings. His most legendary performance came in 2015 when he reached the final table of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event. At 61 years old, he outlasted thousands of players to finish in 3rd place, taking home a life-changing $3,398,298.
While the 2015 Main Event was his biggest score, Blumenfield has remained a steady winner for years. He has multiple victories in “Seniors” events, including a first-place finish at the 2024 Lucky Hearts Poker Open Seniors Deep Stack for $14,561. He also has a strong record in Florida and Las Vegas, with a runner-up finish in the 2023 Seminole Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open Seniors Event for $9,520 and a deep run in the 2017 WPT Shooting Star, where he finished 12th for over $53,000.
Biography & Poker Background
Born in Chicago, Neil Blumenfield spent most of his professional life in the technology industry. He was a successful executive who co-founded a software company called Elastic Intelligence, which was later bought by Intuit. Remarkably, Blumenfield was actually laid off from his job just ten days before the 2015 WSOP Main Event began. Instead of letting the news bring him down, he decided to play the tournament anyway, eventually turning that $10,000 entry fee into over $3 million. Now semi-retired and living in the Bay Area, he spends his time traveling to major poker series and proving that “amateurs” with a business background can still beat the young pros.
Play Style & Strategy
Blumenfield plays a style that is calculated and surprisingly aggressive. During his big Main Event run, he worked with top coaches to modernize his game, focusing on “3-betting” and “4-betting” to put younger, more aggressive players in difficult spots. He believes that his years in the business world gave him a unique edge in reading people and managing pressure. He is often seen as a wild card at the table because he doesn’t play like a typical conservative senior player. He isn’t afraid to run big bluffs or put his entire stack on the line if he thinks he has the right “spot,” a trait that has helped him maintain a high level of success well into his 70s.
Social Media & Online Presence
Want to see how Neil Blumenfield is doing as he continues to play the 2026 WSOP and other circuit events? You can track his results and see his latest stats here:
